Totally Inappropriate

Fall sports are well underway around these parts.

Feels like they start practicing earlier - and stay out later - every year, doesn't it?

And on a totally unrelated note, Nico found a new teether.

Colored Water

Best beach game ever?

Yes.

Most Popular

We don't actually have a popularity contest at our family reunion.

But if we did, this year the winner would probably be...

Nico!

Sweet little wild man went and charmed the socks right off all his family.

It didn't hurt that he played a little hard-to-get at first, too.

Makes that hard-won baby love even sweeter!

Missing the Mountains

Last week, we were in the mountains.

It was calm and beautiful.

With lots of our favorite people.

It was relaxing and perfect.

Then we came home.

Soccer camp, football practice, doctors, dentists, meetings, calendars.

None of these things exist in the mountains.

Just sayin'...

Surprise!

Last weekend, before the sickies descended, we headed up to Bubby and Poppa's house... to surprise them.  Well, weren't we surprised when Della was there for the weekend, too!  Fun times!

Lots of thanks for the prayers for our croupy baby.  Nico is doing much better now.  In fact, he's unfolding my folded laundry as we speak!  (One of these days I'll learn to put that stuff away...)

The Croup

photo from a happier time.  silly face.

My baby has croup.

It is the saddest thing I think I have ever seen.

We're on day three - the worst - and we're trying hard to avoid a night in the hospital.

Prayers welcome.

Three Things

What?  This isn't how you watch a movie?

Nico's most favorite thing in the whole world: playing the guitar.

And then clapping for himself.

He knows he's good.

And finally, it's mopping day.

Can you find the baby?

On any given afternoon...

... you might find something like this going on in my backyard.

Just the way I like it.

Swim!

We got home from Key West about three weeks ago, and dove right into the summer swim season.  Two days after we pulled in, my boys were swimming in their first meet.

I love to see how hard these kids work all summer.  No lazy summer mornings around here - we're at the pool by 8:00 every day. And thank goodness these boys love it, 'cause nobody wants to get up early in the summer!

They're getting really good, too.  Their times are improving with every meet and I love to see the increase in their stamina.  Jake even swam his first 100 meter race last night.  Against 11- and 12-year-olds!  Despite being so nervous - and so tired by the end - he made it.  And this is one proud mama!

Jake's relay team.  What a great group of boys!

Our little competitor. Cam wants those ribbons so bad - and works hard to get them!

Swim team is not for the faint of heart.  Or the tired.  We may start practice at 8 am, but don't be surprised to find us at a meet until well after dark.  10 pm with little ones?  No problem.  (Not my favorite part.)

This Morning

This morning...

Nico woke up at 5:30.

He played with the drawer pulls on my dresser.

Then he thought it might be fun to head-butt the drawer pulls on the dresser.

He was wrong.

My baby has a bruise in the middle of his forehead.

He's still the cutest thing you've ever seen.

This afternoon...

I decided it was high time I got back on this blog.

So instead of catching up on all the Key West posts that remain to be written.

Or the last month's worth of summer posts...

I thought I'd share a picture of my baby's first bruise.

And his messy face.

You're welcome.

The Cookie Monster Sundae

Bubby and Poppa sent Camden money for a birthday treat.

He chose the Cookie Monster Sundae.

Four huge scoops of ice cream.

Hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, chocolate chips.

And a half-pound cookie.

With a cherry on top.

Thankfully, he decided to share with his brother.

Apparently, it was really good.

The youngest brother wondered why nobody was sharing with him.

Or maybe he was a little worried about his brothers.

And maybe he had good reason.

That was a lot of ice cream.

And it did in the biggest brother pretty quick.

The birthday boy held on longer.

But he did get pretty stuffed.

Thank goodness he's got a good daddy who finished up for him.

On the walk home, there were belly aches all around.

According to these boys, it was totally worth it.

And they've decided to take a bit of a break from treats for a while.

So it really was totally worth it.

Men and Mangroves

My boy took me kayaking.

It is amazing to me to see this young man growing up.

He's still so much my baby - my sweet little boy.

But he's mature and capable now, too.

So when I say "my boy took me kayaking," I really mean it.

He's really good - much better at this ocean thing than his mama.

I get so nervous on the water, but this little boy - my baby - is so confident.

He took really good care of his mama.

He took me through the mangroves.

Have you ever been in a mangrove forest?

Amazing.

Really, amazing.

And then he took me home.

Thanks for growing up so nice, little boy.

And guess what?

We kayaked all the way from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico.

Pretty impressive, I know!

I like my birthdays, every one...

... but I can't wait until I'm EIGHT!

Happy birthday to the best EIGHT-year-old around.

We love you, Cam!

Aquarium

Am I the only person who starts to sing that "Aquarius" song whenever I think about going to the aquarium?  Please, don't answer that.

We LOVE to go to aquariums.  Seriously, LOVE.  Everywhere we've lived, we've found the aquarium.  In Cape Cod we went to the tiny little NOAA aquarium every time Dan's boat came in to port.  We made fast friends with the eel fish.  In Seattle we sprung for the (pricey) family membership to their aquarium so we could visit the octopus and hang out in a dome surrounded by sharks.  Baltimore, DC, you get the idea.  Lots of aquariums.

So it should come as no surprise that we sought out and found the Key West Aquarium pretty quick upon arriving.  Small, kinda junky-looking, and perfect.  We've spent many an hour watching crazy tropical fish, feeding sharks - yes, you read that right! - and stingrays, petting stingrays, and talking to turtles.  They even have aligators and an old, arthritic iguana.  It's our kind of place.

Now, I've found myself not blogging because I have too much to blog.  Makes sense, no?  I sit down to write about all the wonderful, exciting things we're doing down here in paradise, and I don't do it.  Because there are too many pictures to choose from.  See, I told you it makes sense!  So guess what?  Here are a bunch - by no means all - of our aquarium photos.  Unorganized, unedited.  Just figured it was time to get this stuff out there.

The Nuggets' favorite Key West attraction.

This boy likes the bright tropical fish best.

Jake's made friends with the stingrays.  They pop up to say hi whenever he walks by!

Cam loves the conchs.  He'll tell you anything you ever needed to know about these big ol' snails.

Ever stroked a stingray?  They're soft and smooth and slimy.  It's true.

Of course we dragged Uncle Clark to the aquarium.  Lucky guy's now touched a stingray and been licked by a conch.  I think he enjoyed it.

I will have one of these little fellas in my home someday.

Beautiful, but I won't have these.

We see angelfish in the ocean all the time.  They like to hang around the fishing boats.  I don't think they're all that smart...

Have a happy day!

Mr. Opinion

Today my mom stuck me in a swing with a friend.

This is how I felt about it.

They call me "Mr. Opinion."

I can't imagine why.

A Trip to the Barber Shop

We had some pretty shaggy boys around here, so we took a little walk.

What?  You don't pass the local drag show on your way to the barber shop?